Boston Police Department Ignored All ICE Detainer Requests in 2025 Despite Major Uptick.
The Boston Police Department received a staggering 57 detainer requests from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) last year, but remarkably, ignored all of them. This is according to a letter sent by Commissioner Michael Cox to the city clerk earlier this month. The figure marks a significant increase from the 15 detainer requests the department reported in 2024.
For context, detainer requests are used by ICE when it becomes aware of individuals who are considered "removable aliens" that are being held by local law enforcement officials. These requests ask police departments to hold the person in question for extra time so that ICE officers can assume custody before they are released back into their communities.
The city has strict sanctuary policies in place, which limit how local police interact with federal officials when it comes to civil immigration enforcement. The Boston Trust Act, for instance, prohibits the BPD from detaining people solely because of an ICE request. Under this policy, officers do not ask about the immigration status of individuals they interact with.
Despite these limitations, ICE continued to file detainer requests with the police department, which it is obligated to report statistics on at the end of each calendar year. According to Cox's letter, all 57 requests were made because of "probable cause" that a detainee was considered removable. However, no one was transferred to ICE custody as a result of any detainer request.
It is worth noting that some detainer requests did not come in via the official fax line due to previous confusion about procedures for processing these requests. Cox established a dedicated fax line solely for detainer requests after being asked by police officials to do so, and only 28% of requests came through this channel last year.
The uptick in detainer requests may be seen as a reflection of ICE's increased efforts under the Trump administration to deport undocumented immigrants. However, it is worth noting that both Boston Police Commissioner Michael Cox and Mayor Michelle Wu are strong supporters of the Trust Act, which they believe makes communities safer by encouraging immigrants to report crimes without fear of deportation.
As tensions between city governments and the federal government over immigration enforcement continue to rise, Boston remains committed to upholding its sanctuary policies. The Trump administration has been suing several cities, including Boston, in an effort to end these policies, claiming they put public safety at risk.
The Boston Police Department received a staggering 57 detainer requests from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) last year, but remarkably, ignored all of them. This is according to a letter sent by Commissioner Michael Cox to the city clerk earlier this month. The figure marks a significant increase from the 15 detainer requests the department reported in 2024.
For context, detainer requests are used by ICE when it becomes aware of individuals who are considered "removable aliens" that are being held by local law enforcement officials. These requests ask police departments to hold the person in question for extra time so that ICE officers can assume custody before they are released back into their communities.
The city has strict sanctuary policies in place, which limit how local police interact with federal officials when it comes to civil immigration enforcement. The Boston Trust Act, for instance, prohibits the BPD from detaining people solely because of an ICE request. Under this policy, officers do not ask about the immigration status of individuals they interact with.
Despite these limitations, ICE continued to file detainer requests with the police department, which it is obligated to report statistics on at the end of each calendar year. According to Cox's letter, all 57 requests were made because of "probable cause" that a detainee was considered removable. However, no one was transferred to ICE custody as a result of any detainer request.
It is worth noting that some detainer requests did not come in via the official fax line due to previous confusion about procedures for processing these requests. Cox established a dedicated fax line solely for detainer requests after being asked by police officials to do so, and only 28% of requests came through this channel last year.
The uptick in detainer requests may be seen as a reflection of ICE's increased efforts under the Trump administration to deport undocumented immigrants. However, it is worth noting that both Boston Police Commissioner Michael Cox and Mayor Michelle Wu are strong supporters of the Trust Act, which they believe makes communities safer by encouraging immigrants to report crimes without fear of deportation.
As tensions between city governments and the federal government over immigration enforcement continue to rise, Boston remains committed to upholding its sanctuary policies. The Trump administration has been suing several cities, including Boston, in an effort to end these policies, claiming they put public safety at risk.
. I mean, think about it, ICE sends 57 detainer requests, but none of them actually get picked up? That's not exactly a sign of effective public safety, if you ask me 
. And don't even get me started on how ridiculous it is that they can just ignore all those requests because they say there's "probable cause"... like that's some kind of magic wand to make everyone go quietly back to their homes 
. It's clear that the Trump admin is more interested in deporting people than actually addressing real crime problems, and that's a recipe for disaster 
. We need to be pushing back against this kind of federal overreach, not just standing by like nothing's wrong 
.
. I mean, who needs the feds breathing down their necks, right? They should be proud of their Trust Act and keep upping the ante against those Trump admin people trying to dictate how cities run. And honestly, 57 detainer requests is a pretty big deal - like, what's ICE even waiting for? 
. ICE files 57 detainer requests and the cops ignore 'em all? That's not a policy issue, that's a coordinated cover-up 
. I mean, think about it, if Boston was really enforcing its sanctuary policies, wouldn't at least some of those requests have been honored? And what's with the separate fax line just for detainers? Sounds like they're trying to keep stuff under wraps 
. And don't even get me started on the Trump admin trying to sue cities over this... it's just a smokescreen, if you ask me 
. 57 requests, but zero holds 
. I guess that's what happens when you've got a clear policy in place 
. The city's sanctuary policies are meant to protect both citizens and immigrants alike 
. It's great that the Commissioner and Mayor are standing firm on this 
.
, see how Boston responds to these increased requests 
. But seriously, it's not about being "sanctuary cities" or not 
, it's about respecting everyone's rights and keeping communities safe 
.
like what even is going on here? i get why they wanna keep it chill and not ask about ppl's immigration status but at the same time, isn't that kinda part of their job? anyway, i think it's cool that boston's got its own trust act in place and stuff, it's like a big ol' blanket of protection for immigrants. don't know what's gonna happen with all this detainer business tho... maybe the trump admin will get bored and move on to something else 
But what really gets me is that most of those detainer requests were made out of "probable cause", but no one was actually transferred to ICE custody... it's all just a game, right? 
. The fact that there was just 28% of requests that came through the official fax line is kinda wild too... 
Maybe ICE should be more organized? I mean, we can't blame them for trying to deport people who are considered "removable aliens"... but at the same time, isn't it weird that they're getting all these requests and nobody's actually being transferred to ICE custody? 
I mean, I get it, they got these strict sanctuary policies in place, but still... it's like they're just letting ICE do their thing and not even trying to communicate with 'em about it. 
I guess it's good that the city is still sticking to its guns on this, but at the same time, it feels like they're just playing whack-a-mole with ICE. 
The fact that all those requests were made because of "probable cause" but no one was transferred is suspicious. And don't even get me started on the fax line confusion... come on! 
- like, who knew ICE was sendin so many detainer requests? 
But on a more serious note, it's wild that all 57 requests were ignored despite bein so many 
. Maybe it's bc of da Boston Trust Act, which I think is super smart 
. I mean, we dont wanna create a culture where ppl r afraid to report crimes 'cause they'll get deported 
. Plus, the mayor & commissioner are all about keepin communities safe and inclusive 
And honestly, can we talk about how messed up it is that the Trump admin is suing cities over this stuff? It's just, like, so not cool... 
ICE detainer requests are on the rise in Boston, but the city isn't backing down from its sanctuary policies. With 57 detainer requests ignored last year, it's clear that Boston Police Commissioner Michael Cox and Mayor Michelle Wu will continue to stand strong against the Trump administration's efforts to deport undocumented immigrants. The Trust Act is a beacon of hope for immigrant communities, and it's crucial that we protect these policies from federal overreach. 
. Mayor Michelle Wu and Commissioner Michael Cox are totally on point with the Boston Trust Act 
. We should be supporting our local law enforcement, not letting the feds take over 
#BostonSanctuaryPolicies #ImmigrationReformNow #TrustActRules